Sudan’s RSF attacks Al Jazirah key bridges as fighting intensifies
January 3, 2025 (OMDURMAN/ EL FASHER/ AL JAZIRAH) – Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked two key bridges in Al Jazirah state on Friday, a day after the army said it destroyed a bridge west of the town of Al-Haj Abdallah to disrupt RSF movements.
Sources said the attacks targeted Bridge 57, about 7 km (4 miles) north of Al-Haj Abdallah, and the Al-Mukhairef bridge, southwest of Barakat.
Army forces repelled the attack on the Al-Mukhairef bridge, destroying seven RSF vehicles, the sources added.
The army said on Thursday it had destroyed a bridge over one of the main irrigation canals of the Al Jazirah agricultural project near Al-Haj Abdallah, aiming to restrict RSF movements. The area is strategically important for its agricultural production.
The RSF captured Wad Madani, the capital of Al Jazirah state, in December 2023 and has since expanded southwards.
Army shells RSF positions in Khartoum
Meanwhile, the army continued artillery shelling from north of Omdurman against RSF positions in the capital, Khartoum and its twin city, Khartoum Bahri.
The army bombarded RSF locations in the Shambat district of Khartoum Bahri on Friday, with smoke seen rising from the vicinity of police officers’ residences.
The air force also carried out airstrikes on RSF positions in the Nasser and Arkweet neighbourhoods of Khartoum. The air raids targeted the Operations Authority headquarters in the Al-Riyadh district, which has been under RSF control since the war began in April 2023.
RSF drone attack repelled
The RSF attacked the Hatab Operations Base north of Khartoum Bahri for the second time in a week, using six drones launched from east of the Nile. Army ground defences shot down the drones without causing any damage, sources said.
El Fasher camp shelled
In El Fasher, North Darfur, the RSF renewed its heavy artillery shelling of the Zamzam camp for displaced people, located about 12 km southwest of the city.
A spokesman for a joint force of armed groups supporting the army said the RSF intensively shelled the camp, which houses tens of thousands. Information about casualties was not available due to ongoing shelling and disruption of “Starlink” communication services.
The RSF has been targeting the camp since December, claiming that members of the joint force are hiding there. The joint force denies this.